Creating an email template in GoHighLevel is a straightforward process that empowers you to design visually appealing and highly effective communication for your audience. This easy guide walks you through every step, from accessing the GoHighLevel email builder to utilizing custom values and testing your designs. Learn to leverage GoHighLevel’s powerful tools to personalize your outreach and streamline your marketing efforts, ensuring your messages always hit the mark.

How to Create an Email Template in Gohighlevel – Easy Guide

Welcome to your ultimate guide on mastering email template creation in GoHighLevel! If you’re looking to elevate your marketing campaigns, automate communication, and send stunning emails that convert, you’re in the right place. GoHighLevel is an incredibly powerful platform, and its email builder is a core feature that can supercharge your outreach.

Imagine sending perfectly branded, personalized emails to your leads and customers with just a few clicks. That’s what creating an effective email template in GoHighLevel allows you to do. This guide will walk you through every single step, making it easy for even beginners to design professional and engaging emails. We’ll cover everything from navigating the GoHighLevel platform to using custom values and ensuring your emails look fantastic on any device.

Ready to dive in and create an amazing email template in GoHighLevel? Let’s get started!

Key Takeaways

• Access the GoHighLevel Email Builder Easily: Navigate through your GoHighLevel account to find the “Email Templates” section under “Marketing” to begin creating your designs.
• Utilize the Drag-and-Drop Interface: GoHighLevel’s builder is incredibly intuitive, allowing you to easily add and arrange sections, text, images, and buttons with simple drag-and-drop functionality.
• Personalize with Custom Values: Enhance engagement by inserting custom values like `{{contact.first_name}}` to dynamically populate recipient-specific information, making each email feel unique.
• Design for Mobile Responsiveness: Always preview your email template in both desktop and mobile views within GoHighLevel to ensure it looks great and is readable on any device.
• Leverage Pre-Designed Templates or Start Fresh: GoHighLevel offers a variety of beautiful templates to kickstart your design, or you can build a unique email template from scratch for complete control.
• Test Thoroughly Before Sending: Before deploying any campaign, send a test email to yourself and check all links, custom values, and formatting to prevent common errors.
• Save and Organize Your Templates: Name your email template clearly and save your work frequently. Well-named templates make it easier to find and reuse them for future campaigns in GoHighLevel.

Step 1: Accessing the Email Builder in GoHighLevel

Your journey to a beautiful email template begins by logging into your GoHighLevel account. This is where all the magic happens!

Logging Into Your GoHighLevel Account

First things first, open your web browser and go to your GoHighLevel login page. Enter your credentials (email and password) and click “Sign In.”

Navigating to Email Templates

Once you’re inside your GoHighLevel dashboard, you’ll see a menu on the left side. Look for the “Marketing” tab. Click on it. A submenu will appear. From there, select “Emails,” and then finally, click on “Email Templates.”

This path – Marketing > Emails > Email Templates – will take you directly to the hub where all your existing email templates live, and where you’ll create new ones.

Step 2: Starting a New Email Template

Now that you’re in the Email Templates section, it’s time to create your very first email template in GoHighLevel.

Choosing “New”

In the top right corner of the Email Templates screen, you’ll see a button that says “+ Create Email Template.” Click this button. GoHighLevel will then present you with a few options.

Selecting a Template Type

• Blank Template: This is perfect if you want complete creative freedom and prefer to build your email template from scratch. It gives you an empty canvas.
• Pre-Designed Templates: GoHighLevel offers a variety of professionally designed email templates for different purposes (promotions, welcome emails, newsletters, etc.). These are a great starting point if you’re short on time or need inspiration. You can pick one and customize it to fit your brand.

For this guide, we’ll focus on building from scratch or using a basic layout so you understand all the elements. If you choose a pre-designed email template, many of the following steps will still apply as you customize its content and layout.

Step 3: Understanding the Email Builder Interface

The GoHighLevel email builder is incredibly user-friendly, utilizing a drag-and-drop system. Let’s get familiar with its main components.

The Canvas

This is the central area where you’ll design your email. It’s like a blank page that will come to life with your content.

The Left Sidebar: Layouts and Elements

• Layouts: This tab provides structural blocks for your email template. You can drag and drop different row configurations (e.g., one-column, two-column, three-column) onto your canvas. This is how you build the basic structure of your email.
• Elements: Once you have your layouts, you’ll use the “Elements” tab to add content. This includes text blocks, images, buttons, videos, dividers, social media links, and spacers. You simply drag an element and drop it into a layout block.

The Right Sidebar: Settings Panel

Whenever you click on a section, row, or element on your canvas, the right sidebar will transform into a “Settings” panel. This is where you customize everything: colors, fonts, sizes, padding, links, and much more. It’s context-sensitive, meaning it shows options relevant to what you’ve selected.

Save and Preview Options

At the top of the builder, you’ll find buttons to “Save” your progress and “Preview” your email. Always save your work frequently!

Step 4: Designing Your Email Template Structure (Layouts)

The foundation of any great email template in GoHighLevel is its structure. This is where you decide how your content will be organized.

Adding Rows and Columns

Go to the “Layouts” tab on the left sidebar. Drag and drop a “Full Column” layout onto your canvas. This is a common starting point for a header or a single block of text. You can then add more rows below it, perhaps a “Two Column” layout for images and text side-by-side, or a “Three Column” layout for product displays.

Adjusting Row Settings

Click on any row you’ve added. The right sidebar will now show its settings. Here you can:

• Background Color: Change the background color of the entire row to match your brand.
• Padding: Adjust the spacing inside the row, giving your content some breathing room.
• Width: Control the overall width of the row, though it’s often best to leave this as default for responsiveness.

Tip: Think about how you want the email to flow. A typical structure might be a full-width header, followed by a two-column section, then a full-width call to action, and finally a footer.

Step 5: Adding Content Elements (Elements)

With your structure in place, it’s time to fill your email template with engaging content using the “Elements” tab.

Text Elements

Drag a “Text” element into one of your layout blocks. Click on the text block on the canvas to open its settings on the right. Here you can:

• Type or paste your content.
• Change font family, size, and color.
• Apply bold, italics, underline.
• Add links to websites or email addresses.
• Adjust alignment (left, center, right, justify).

Image Elements

Drag an “Image” element onto your canvas. In the right sidebar settings:

• Click “Browse” to upload an image from your computer or select one from your GoHighLevel media library.
• Adjust the image width.
• Add an alternative text (Alt Text) for accessibility and SEO.
• Link the image to a URL (e.g., your website, a product page).

Pro Tip: Always optimize your images for web! Large image files can slow down loading times.

Button Elements

Buttons are crucial for calls to action. Drag a “Button” element into your email template.

• Button Text: Change the text (e.g., “Learn More,” “Shop Now”).
• Button Link: Enter the URL where the button should lead.
• Colors: Customize the button’s background and text colors to match your branding.
• Padding & Corners: Adjust the button’s size and roundness of its corners.

Other Useful Elements

• Divider: Use this to create clear visual separation between sections. You can customize its color, thickness, and style.
• Social: Add social media icons that link directly to your profiles (Facebook, Instagram, LinkedIn, etc.).
• Spacer: Insert empty space to improve readability and visual balance.

Step 6: Customizing with Global Settings

Beyond individual elements, you can set global styles for your entire email template in GoHighLevel.

Body Settings

Click anywhere on the blank canvas *outside* of an element or row. The right sidebar will now show “Body Settings.” Here you can:

• Content Width: Set the overall width of your email. A common width is 600px.
• Background Color: Set a background color for the entire email body.
• Default Font: Choose a default font and size that will apply to all text elements unless specifically overridden.

Header and Footer Defaults

While GoHighLevel doesn’t have explicit “Header/Footer” sections in the same way a website does, you can design these using the row and element features. For example, your top row with your logo could be considered your header, and your bottom row with contact info and social links your footer. You can then save these as blocks for reuse.

Step 7: Using Custom Values (Personalization)

One of the most powerful features in GoHighLevel’s email builder is the ability to use custom values for personalization. This makes your emails feel tailored to each recipient.

What Are Custom Values?

Custom values are dynamic placeholders that GoHighLevel automatically replaces with specific information from your contact database. For example, `{{contact.first_name}}` will be replaced by the recipient’s first name.

How to Insert Custom Values

When you’re editing a text element, you’ll see a small dropdown menu or icon that says “Custom Values” or similar. Click on it. You’ll see a list of available custom values:

• Contact Fields: `{{contact.first_name}}`, `{{contact.last_name}}`, `{{contact.email}}`, `{{contact.phone}}`, etc.
• Account Fields: `{{account.name}}`, `{{account.address}}`, etc.
• User Fields: `{{user.name}}`, `{{user.email}}`, etc. (useful for sender details)

Select the custom value you want, and it will be inserted into your text. It’s a great way to make your email template more personal and engaging!

Example: Instead of “Hello,” try “Hello {{contact.first_name}},”

Step 8: Naming, Saving, and Organizing Your Template

You’ve put in the hard work; now make sure it’s saved and easy to find!

Naming Your Email Template

Before saving, look for a field at the top of the builder (often labeled “Template Name” or “Email Template Name”). Give your email template a clear, descriptive name. Something like “Welcome Email – New Client” or “Monthly Newsletter – August” works well. This helps you quickly identify it later when setting up campaigns.

Saving Frequently

The GoHighLevel builder autosaves to some extent, but it’s always a good practice to manually click the “Save” button frequently, especially after making significant changes. You don’t want to lose your hard work!

Categorizing and Organizing (If Applicable)

While GoHighLevel doesn’t always have deep folder structures for templates, good naming conventions are key. You can also use tags if your GoHighLevel setup supports them, to group similar email templates together.

Step 9: Previewing and Testing Your Email Template

This is a critical step before your email template goes live. Always preview and test!

Desktop vs. Mobile View

At the top of the builder, you’ll usually find icons to toggle between “Desktop” and “Mobile” views. Click on both to ensure your email template looks great and is fully responsive on different screen sizes. Adjust padding, font sizes, and image widths as needed for mobile readability.

Sending a Test Email

Next to the “Preview” button, there’s often an option to “Send Test Email.” Use this! Send the email template to your own email address (and maybe a colleague’s) and check it on different email clients (Gmail, Outlook, Apple Mail) and devices (phone, tablet, desktop).

When testing, specifically look for:

• All links are working correctly.
• Custom values (`{{contact.first_name}}`) are populating correctly (they might show placeholder text in the test, which is fine, but ensure the structure is right).
• Images are loading and displayed properly.
• Overall formatting, colors, and fonts are consistent.

Troubleshooting Common Issues

Even with an easy guide, you might run into a snag or two. Here are some quick fixes.

Email Not Rendering Correctly

• Check for broken layouts: Ensure your elements are placed within valid row structures.
• Image dimensions: Too large or too small images can sometimes cause layout issues. Resize them appropriately.
• Excessive padding/margins: Sometimes too much spacing can push content off-screen, especially on mobile. Adjust these settings.
• Clear cache: Sometimes browser cache can cause display issues in the builder. Try clearing your browser’s cache or using an incognito window.

Custom Values Not Populating

• Typo in custom value: Double-check that the custom value is spelled exactly right (e.g., `{{contact.first_name}}` not `{{contact.firstname}}`).
• Missing contact data: If a contact doesn’t have a first name, that custom value will appear blank. Consider using fallback text if GoHighLevel supports it (though not always directly in the email builder, often handled in workflows).
• Testing method: Remember that test emails might show the custom value placeholder text. The true test is when it’s sent to an actual contact with populated data.

Images Not Showing

• Broken link: Ensure the image URL is correct if you linked externally, or that the image is still in your GoHighLevel media library if uploaded.
• Firewall/spam filters: Some email clients might block images by default. Encourage recipients to “display images” if they see a blank space.
• File size: Very large images can fail to load in some email clients. Keep them optimized.

Conclusion

Congratulations! You’ve successfully navigated the GoHighLevel email builder and learned how to create an email template that’s both professional and effective. You now have the power to design engaging, branded, and personalized communication that will resonate with your audience.

Remember, practice makes perfect. The more you use the GoHighLevel email builder, the more comfortable and creative you’ll become. Don’t be afraid to experiment with different layouts, colors, and content. With your newfound skills, you’re well-equipped to leverage GoHighLevel to its fullest potential, driving better engagement and stronger results for your business. Happy emailing!